Jon Stewart launches Rush Limbaugh hashtag

On Monday night, the host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” criticized conservative talk radio show host Rush Limbaugh for his dismissal of the social media campaign that has expressed outrage at the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by Boko Haram.

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The comedian didn’t mince words about Limbaugh, whom he called a “quivering rage heap who is apparently desperately trying to extinguish any remaining molecule of humanity that might still reside in the Chernobyl-esque super-fund cleanup site that was his soul.”

On his radio show over the past week, Limbaugh has railed against the Twitter campaign. In particular, he singled out first lady Michelle Obama, who took a photo holding a sign with the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag. The radio host called the first lady’s gesture “pathetic.”

The campaign has used the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls to offer sympathy to the children’s families and to push for greater efforts to recover the girls. Many U.S. and international political figures have embraced the campaign.

Stewart said that people should choose between Limbaugh and Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year-old Pakistani activist who survived an attack from the Taliban and who has also supported the Twitter campaign. Stewart said that people should tweet their vote using the hashtag “#F*@kYouRush.”

The comedian also said that he owes Twitter “an apology,” saying the social media site has now proved its worth beyond “casual racism” and lewd photos.

“That’s the thing about hashtag activism. It cannot force a crazy person to do something, but it can shame a less crazy person into not doing nothing,” he said in reference to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who has faced international pressure to take greater action to try to rescue the children.

Stewart said that hashtag activism can also drive “a medium-crazy person crazier,” playing into the clip of Limbaugh slamming the Twitter campaign.